Railroad-spike.



G. M. BROX & H. S. KNIGHT.

- RAILROAD SPIKE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.11, 19.12.

1 077 970 Patented Nov.11,1913.

WITNESSES JNVENTORJ 5%, f W Q Ifomey t.

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KIHGET, OF MILFORD, NEBRASKA.

nnrraosnsrmn Specification of Letters'l-etcnt.

vTo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,'GEonen-M. Bnox and llowann S. KNIGHT,- citizens of theUnited States, residing at Milford, in the county of Seward and State 0i:- Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improven'ients in Railroad-Spikes, of which the following is a specification.

Our present invention pertains to railroad spikes-i. 6., spikes designed more particularly for fastening railway rails to sleep ers' or ties of wood.

The object of our invention is to improve the type of spike embodying means for pre eluding displacement of the spike after the same is driven home in a sleeper or tie; and the novelty, utility and practical advantages of our said invention will be fully understood from the following description and claim when the same are read in connection with the drawings, accompanying and form ing part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective showing our novel spike with the anchoring nail properly positioned therein. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in elevation and partly 'in section, of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the nail per se.

' Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

Our improved spike comprises a shank l and a head 2 which may be and preferably are of the conventional configuration, though they may be of any other configuration compatible with the purpose of our invention without involving departure from the scope of the same as claimed.

In accordance with our invention a vertically disposed hole 3 is formed in the head 2 at a point adjacent one hide thereof. in the adjacent side of the shank l a vertical Q'roove i is formed which registers with the said hole and extends downward from the same about the proportionai length or the groove 1} being arranged in registration distance illustrated. At its lower end the said groove 4 merges into one end of a bore or passage 5 which extends transversely through the shank from the grooved side to the opposite side thereof. The said transverse hore or passage runs througlftho spike at a slight downward angle, Fig 2, for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

In using the spike describedthe same is driven home ina sleeper or tie of woo With this done a nail 6 is driven down through the hole 3 of the spike until the fPateiited Nov. 1 1, 1 1

nail head 7 brings up against the upper-side oi. the spike head 2. lVhen the nail is thus driven it will be guided by the hole 3 and the groove to that end of the transverse'bore orpassage 5 in registration with the groove l, and hence the lower portion of the nail will be caused to pass through the bore or passage 5 and to project from the side of the spike opposite to that in which the groove- 4 is formed. it will also be observed that l'iy'reason the bore or passage 5 bein'g formed through the spike at a slight downard aug'lc i. (2., so that the end of said bore or passage from which the end portion of the nail protrudes will he lower than the end Where the nail enters. the said protruding end portion oi? the nail will be directed outward and upward from the shank. In consequence of this the said lower end of the nail will securely anchor the spike in the sleeper or tie and will eiiectually prevent casual loosening: or working upward of the ike. I

By virtue oi the hole 3 being); provided in the spike head it will he manifest that when a nail or rather the nail described is driven as stated nail will he confined in the groove 4; the said roove 4 being preferable to a bore of corresponding length in the spike shank because it can be easily and cheaply formed and also because its formation does not entail material weakening of the shank. From this it follows that because of the employment of the groove. as distinguished from a bore. the spike is not materially weakened between the hole 3 and the here or passage 5 and yet because of-the registration of the groove with thehole 3, the said groove can be depended on to guide the lower end of the nail into the transverse here or passage with the result that the nail ivili be bent and caused to form the anchoring;' barb before referred to.

It will also be observed that by reason of claim and desire to secure by Letters Pathead, and the head having a vertically disent. is: I posed bore in its extended portion, entirely As a new article of manufacture, a spike surrounded by the metal of said portion and comprising a shank and a head integral with alined and communicating directly .with the 15 and extending laterally beyond one side of vertical groove of the shank. the shank; the shank having a transverse GEORGE M BROX bore at an intermediate point in its length HOWARD S KNIGHT and also having a vertical groove in its said side, of even depth throughout itslength, Witnesses: extending from one end of the bore to the HENRY J. MA'rzKn,

' under side of the extended portion of the MAMIE E. LINDEMAN. 

